Garbage disposal unit



c. D. RUSSELL GARBAGE DISPQSAL UNIT 5 Sheets-Sheet l l Filed Feb. 17, 1950 .J .f u. ...ms

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 20, 1953 Filed Feb. 17. 1950 C. D. RUSSELL- GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 TSP -28N J/TN INVENTOR ATTORNEY 'Filed Feb. 17, 1956 Oct. Z0, 1953 l c. D. RUSSELL 2,655,965

GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNIT s sheetssheet 5 85 FIG. 3 es "3 l2? WM Zy r I INVENTOR CARL. D. RUSSELL,

BY lai ATTORNEY l Patented Oct. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in waste disposal apparatus, and m-ore particularly to an improved kitchen waste or so-called garbage dispos-a1 unit designed especially for home use but which can be readily adapted for hotel and restaurant use.

As is well known, the popula;` types of garbage disposal units now in use are electrically driven and usually employ a high speed cutter disc acting to reduce kitchen waste with a shredding action. With certain forms of kitchen waste, the reduced shreddings may take the form of relatively long laments which do not readily pass through the waste pipe to sewer, with the result that stoppages are likely to occur. Due to the high speed rotation of their cutting or shredding discs, such units are noisy in their operation and, being electrically driven, they are also susceptible to being put out of operation due to motor failure and they moreover require frequent servicing. The electrically driven disposal unit can also provide a source of electrical shocks to users touching the sink or unit with wet hands, as where the hot side of the motor has become accidentally grounded to the sink.

Generally stated, it is the object of the present invention not only Ito provide a kitchen-waste or garbage disposal unit which avoids the aforementioned objects and disadvantages of the prior electrically driven garbage disposal units of modern design, but also to provide such a unit having superior garbage reducing action, as well as one that is capable of being more economically Aoperated than the prior units.

A more detailed object of the invention is the provision of a hydraulically powered garbage disposal unit which employs water at city pressure both as a source of power and as a flushing medium.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a hydraulically driven garbage disposal unit characterized by a low speed, high-power crushing or reducing action, and which is substantially noiseless in its operation.

A further objectl of the invention is the provision of a garbage disposal unit which may be inexpensively constructed and which, being operated by water at city pressure that is subsequently used as a iiushing medium, may be operated more economically than the prior units which employ house water only as a flushing medium and thus require an additional source of power for driving purposes.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a garbage disposal unit which may ing uid pressure (water) motor, rotary cutting cylinders, and a transmission mechanism for translating reciprocatory travel of the motor piston into low speed rotation of the cylinders capable of developing high cutting and crushing torques, and wherein the exhaust from the motor is supplied to the cutting cylinders for flushing the same.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be seen from the following detailed description, taken with the accompanying drawings showing one physical form of garbage disposal unit constructed in accordance with the invention and giving excellent results in service, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with certain parts broken away, of the improved garbage disposal unit of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along line 2 2 of Fig. l, illustrating the details of the transmission mechanism and the water connection between motor unit and reducing means for directing the 1 motor exhaust to the reducing means for use as a flushing medium therefor;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cutting cylinders constituting the reducing means;

Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the construction and mounting of the cylinder cutter bars;

Fig. 5 is a part-diagrammatic view illustrating the inter-meshing relation and the progressive crushing, shearing-off, and Selb-cleaning action of the cutter bars of the cutting cylinders; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section illustrating the action of a cutter bar and a cutter ring in cutting the garbage or waste into short lengths.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, a garbage disposal unit according to the invention generally comprises a uid pressure motor unit generally designated MU which employs water at city pressure as its motive fluid, a transmission mechanism generally designated TM for converting reciprocatory travel of the motor piston to positive, uni-direction rotation of each of a pair of shafts mounting the reducing means in direction opposite to that of its companion shaft, and reducing means generally designated RM for progressively crushing, cutting-intoshort-lengths, and shearing-nii the waste or garbage supplied to it, Another feature of the invention resides in the integration of said component mechanisms into a compact installation unit, whichv may. be readily connected into, the waste pipe of a kitchen sink and tothe house water supply line, and in utilization of the exhaust from the motor unit as a flushing mediunr serving both to convert the comminuted or re.- duced garbage to a iiowable mass capable of passing through the waste pipe to semen. andito; augment the self-cleaning action. of. the reducing means.

Now considering the component mechanisms aforesaid in detail, the fluid pressure motor unit isfshownto comprise. arelativeb? short-lengthcylinder Itl closed at itsends by heads: I2.. Mounted to reciprocate in the cylinder. is a; pis-- ton. provided with. axial stems M, L5, which are formed tubular (-Fig.. 2L). The. lower stern.. lzlt progiects through a-nexternally threaded nipple Ha: extending axially from. the lower cylinder head Lt and has sliding bearing in the nipple.

in abushing-like unionv IE: which is.- thread.- ed on tofthe nipple; as shown. The stem is. suitably packedi as at I7 to prevent leakage around thegstemin its'reciprocatory tra-vel with the piston I=3=.. A water supply pipe L8, threaded into the lower end of the union t6?, connects with` the. house water 1ine;, so that water. at city pressureissupp'liedi tothe bore 200i piston stem( t4.

The piston: l3 is adapted tov be reciprocated by water at city pressure supplied alternately to the opposite endsf of thecylinder'via the bore 2,0 of piston stem I4 and a piston-mounted. rev-ersl` ing. valve mechanism 3U operating onf the principio of. that' disclosed in my copendin'g; application: Serial` No, 2115,9'50, iled March lf, 1951', but modified so as to. be actuab'le by a non-com,- pres/sibleuidzsucht as water. rPhe exhaust from the cylinderend'opposite that being supplied withy the water acting as the motive duid isconducted from-.the cylinder'throughithe;piston. via apistonmounted reversible exhaust` Valve. 35;. also gen.- erally disclosed in my aforesaid; application, and the bore 3Q- oi the axial stem l5, the exhaust being: thereafter utilizedl in the: manner to be described.. Said' stem. le extends.; through the upper" cylinder head. lf2'. and; has sliding bearing in; anY external bushing 40 formed thereon, leeds.-n age past the stem being` prevented bythe.- pack.-4

giand. 4+.

From the foregoing description, it` will be understood that pistoni travel eiects reciprocatory travel. of. the upper piston stem 1552,. which` is converted' to` rotary motion; by the transmission mechanism MV now to be described.. By referenceA to Fig. 2l, it will be seen that the stem. proects upwardly beyond the piston an. amount correspon'dingto piston travel; and' a cross head 'L5 is secured tothe projecting end of the piston:- stem i5 as by a cap nut '161. Reciprocation of the cross headV is transmitted tot aI main' drive head 'H by connecting rods 18, 'F8112 which eX- tend upwardly between theouter ends of the' cross-head' 'l5 and the main drive head 1-1., which latter is vertically arranged.

By reference to Fig. L. the drive head illustratively comprises two spaced platesV 80',v 8l of rectangular shape as-shoWninFig. 2 andwhich are securely held in spaced relation by spacing studs 82. Said plates are also each provided with a pair of vertically elongated openings 83, 84 for the shafts 85, 86 of a pair of reducing or cutting cylinders to be described. Said shafts are journaled in spaced bearings 8l', 88 carried by correspondingly spaced supporting brackets 89, 9D of massive construction, and which may be supported from an annular mounting ring 9| secured againstvthettop face-of the upper cylinder head1' |12. 4

To convert reciprocatory travel of the piston L3 and its stem I5, and hence of drive head into. rotation of shafts 85, 85, said shafts in their portions which pass through the drive head are 0.1112- with or otherwise provided with circular ratchets designated 93, 94 whose teeth are oppositely* disposed', asseen in Fig. 2. The drive headinlounts between its plates 88, 8l outer and inner pairs of pawls, of which the pawls 95, 96 of: thev outer pair are pivotally suspended from their upper. ends by pins 91, 38 andare provided.. along, their inner side edges. with ratchet teeth adaptedy to engage. withthe. teeth of the circular shaft. ratchets Q3, 94 along their outer periph;- eries. The pawls 99, Hill of the inner pair are pivf-vv otally mounted at their lower ends on. pins lill,

Mia. to. extend into the space between. the. shaft, ratchetsand are provided along their outer. edges. with. ratchet teeth adapted. to engage with: the: teeth of. saidshaft ratchets. To.. insure: engage,- ment ofthe-teeth of the inner pair of pawls` withl the teeth. of theeshaft rateinets` as the drive headi is: actuated in downward direction, the` pawls ec, ien may be. biased outwardly towards the: shafts by a. double-ended spring |.l3 coiled in.- ter-mediate its endse around ai, mounting pin mit extend-ing. between the drive head, plates, and. whose-free ends. are connected. to; the. upper ends. GsaidpaWlSrsc. as toexercise aspreading actionA thereon., as. shown.

From. the; foregoing description it wilL be ob,- servedthat the cross=head.l', drive-head. lil: and"- pafwl and ratchet. mechanism provides a transmission unit for:l convertingv reciprocetory' travel of; the piston-z intopositive; uni-directional rotationcff. shafts-'85., 8,6.;i1r opposite directions, su'clrA being, eiiected by4 the pawls 95, 95: of' the outer pair. engaging: with thefteeth of the shaft' raten-ets; 93;, at upon: upward movement. of, the drive head, thefpazwlsz, IZBB; oftheA inner pair meantime rid'.- ing; over the teeth. o fi` the shaft, ratchets, and by said paw-ls` 99,r Hill: oi: the inner. maintaining. the: shafts in rotation wherr the head is actuated downwarddrectiorr, the pawls 95, et' meantime riding; over the teeth of the shaft. rachats. Although other means for eiecting conversion of' reciprocatory to rotary' movement; mayV of' course be substituted, the described transmissionmechamism provides a' simple and. eective means for achieving the'desiredi result, and. in addition has the advantage that it is fool-proof and" thoroughly'dependable'ini operation and may be read'- ily serviced. TheI described transmisison is also of advantage'irr the present unit in that it effects alowf-speed powerfulirotation ot the sh'ais Si, 89 as required! todevelop the high: turning torques required in ay deuicedesigned: toycrush and comminute certain forms of kitchen refuse, such as bones and. other hard materials.

Considering newv the construction and operation of the reducing. means RM, such comprises:

a pair of inter-meshing.y cutting cylinders generally designated I lili,A Iill powered by the shafts 85, `86 and. being, accordingly driven continuously' thereby in opposite directions. Said cylinders are of cage-like construction, according to which a plurality of axially extending cutter bars ||2 are mounted in spaced relation and in circular series between the cylinder end plates H3, H4, which latter are keyed or otherwise connected to the shafts for turning movement therewith. By reference to Fig. 4 which is a typical section through a cutter bar, each said bar comprises a generally rectangular body portion ||2a and a tooth ||2b which is adapted to project radially outwardly from the periphery of the cutting cylinder. The front face |I5 of the tooth portion is rearwardly offset from the front face of the body portion I|2a and is inclined forwardly by a slight angle. The rear face I I6 of the tooth portion is sloped forwardly by a greater angle of inclination than its front face and thus converges on said front face. Rather than meeting at a point or apex, the rear face merges into a small-width flat surface II? which connects with the front face I I5, and the line of intersection of flat surface ||`I with front face |I5 defines 'a sharp -cutting edge I I8. The rear face I I6 of the tooth portion also merges into a smallwidth fiat surface I I9 provided `at the intersection of said face with the rear face of the cutterbar body portion. 'I'he purpose of the nat faces I I?, I I9 is to provide turning clearance for the intermeshing cutting bars as will be later described. It will be observed that due to the relatively great thickness of the base or root of a cutting tooth shaped as aforesaid, it is buttressed to withstand the high crushing and cutting forces which it is required to exert in acting on solid or hard forms of kitchen waste.

The cutter-bars are supported at their ends in the cylinder end plates II3 and lill and are also supported intermediate their ends by cutter rings spaced substantially equally from one another and from the cylinder ends, the cutterbars seating in notches IZQ (Fig. 4) formed in the outer circumferential edges of said rings. By reference to Fig. 3, the righthand cutting cylinder I I I is provided with two such cutting rings designated |2I, |2Ia, and the lefthand cutting cylinder IIS is provided with three such cutting rings |22, |22a and |221), and it will be observed that the latter rings are staggered with relation to the rings |2I, IZIa. rlhe outer edges of the cutting rings have reverse V-section, and their apices thus define circumferential cutting edges which are spaced from one another along the axial length of the cutting cyliners.

Referring to Fig. 5, illustrating the intermeshing relationship of the cutter-bars of one cutting cylinder with those of the companion cutting cylinder, it will be seen that the depth of interengagement of the cutter-bars is substantially greater than the radial spacing of the circles containing the cutting edges ||8 of a cylinder from the cutting edges of the rings of the same cylinder. Accordingly, each of the cutter bars of the righthand cutting cylinder is provided in its tooth portion with three notches designated |23, |23a and |232) which are properly spaced to receive the cutting edges of the three cutting rings |22, |22a and |221) of the lefthand cutting cylinder. Similarly, each cutter bar of the lefthand cylinder is provided in its tooth portion with two notches |24, |24a for receiving the cutting edges of the two cutting rings I2I, I2|a of the righthand cutting cylinder. Accordingly, the cutting cylinders may intermesh as shown in Fig. 6 without interference between the cutting rings of one cylinder and the tooth portions of the cutter bars of the other cylinder.

By reference to Fig. 5, rotation of the cutting cylinders results in a progressive crushing and shearing-off action on garbage or similar refuse material entering the throat between the cutting cylinders. In this view, the cylinders are rotating in the direction of the arrows and a cutter bar designated a of one cutting cylinder and a next lower cutting bar designated b of the other cylinder are shown to be moving in descending arcs towards one another. Their cutting edges I8 bite or cut into the waste, either cutting through the same or drawing the same bodily farther into the throat between the cylinders. As the cutter bars a and b move further downwardly towards one another to the position of cutter bars designated a', b', they begin to exert their crushing action. When said cutter bars move still further downwardly to the position indicated by the cutter bars a, b, it will be observed that cutter bar c has begun to enter the space between cutter bar b" and the next following cutter bar, and that cutter bar b" has fully entered the space between cutter bar a and the next advance or lower cutter bar, with the result that the crushing action continues and is approaching its maximum. It will be observed that clearance is being provided between the front face of cutter bar a" and the rear outer corner of cutter bar b" by the flat surface IIS of the latter cutter bar.

Now assuming that cutter bar a has descended to the position of cutter bar designated a', and cutter bar b has descended to the position of cutter bar designated b'", it will be observed that cutter bars a" and b" have begun to move away from one another. Just prior thereto, the cutting edge I|8 of cutter bar b" has wiped across the rear nat face of cutter bar then in the position of cutter bar a', and the cutting edge I|8 of cutter bar a" is now beginning to wipe across the rear flat face of the cutter bar b", and finally moves away from said face, the fiat corner surface ||9 of the cutter bar b" permitting said cutting edge to just clear said corner. Thus, due to the aforesaid wiping action of the blades ||8 of the cutter bars of one cylinder on the rear faces of the intermeshing cutting bars of the other cylinder, any material caught between said cutter bars is subjected to a shearing-off action. Accordingly, any refuse or garbage entering the throat is progressively crushed and comminuted and any waste material in or tending to take sheet form when acted upon by the cutter bars is sheared into longitudinal strips of widths no greater than the distance between the cutting edge I|8 and the rear plane or flat face of a cutter bar. It will also be observed that due to the substantially full intermeshing engagement of the cutter bars of the cylinders, the latter are substantially self-cleaning. Moreover, any waste material pushed into the interior spaces of the cylinders during the crushing portions of their arcuate movement readily passes from the cylinders due to their open construction and the effect of the ushing water thereon.

The cutting cylinders also function to cut any material moving into the throat between cylinders into short lengths, due to the entry of cutting edges of the cutting rings of one cutting cylinder into the notches (|23, etc., |24 etc.)

Vprovided in the tooth portions of the companion cutter bars of the cutting cylinder. This action of the cutter blades and their supporting rings is diagrammatic-ally illustrated iny Fig. 6, wherein it .Will be observed that the cutting edge of a ring of the lefthand cylinder has knifed itself into its receiving notches in the cutter bar of the companion righthand cylinder, thus to cut any solid material, such as bones and the like to short lengths. The aforesaid action in cutting solid material into short lengths precedes the shearing action of the cutter bars as they begin to move away from one another as previously described, with the result that any solid material is reduced to what; may be termed shavings of exceedingly short lengths and width, capable of ready passage through the waste line.V

Although in the unit under description, the cutter blades ||2 are demountable from the end plates H3, lill of the cutting cylinders, they may also he formed integral with said end plates and' suitably hardened and their cutting edges I I8 sharpened, in subsequent hardening and machining operations.

It is also a. feature of the invention that the water exhausting from the motor unit MU is employed as a flushing medium. To this end, the cap nut 'l5 which secures the cross head 15 to the upper piston stem I5 may be formed hollow (Fig. 2) and is provided with two diametrically opposed nipples |25, |26 to which one end of flexible hoses |27, |28 are connected, the hoses at their other end delivering to water passages |313, l3i provided in the unit inlet pipe or tube 43e which is connected at its upper end to the drain mening` of a. sink',l whereby all waste leaving the Sink falls into the throat: between the cutting cylinders for reductipn thereby. Since the water exhausting from the motor unit passes; directly to the pipe lg3d a substantial Volume of fiushns Water at house line pressure is directed on to the cutting cylinders to' iiush the same immediately upon the unit being placed in operation, this flushing water serv-ing to augment the self -cleaning' action. of the cutting cylinders and also converti-ng the reduced garbage or other refuse into a flowable mass capable of passing through the waste pipe to sewer.

lt will be understood. that the mov-ing parts. of the unit are suitably housed, and to this end a cover member |35, secured, for example, to the top of; the motor unit, houses the transmission mechanism, Similarly,- the cutting cylinders are L completely housed within a shell 131, which may be formed integral with the entry pipe |34 and which. terminates at its lower end ina discharge pipe m8 connected to waste pipe and through which the owable mass of refuse passes. to the waste pipe and thence to sewer.

The illustrated unit has been successfully operated by cityv water at l5 lbs. pressure, the unit employing an 8 piston operated at the rate of'9 strokes per minute, which, through the transmissionmechanism, effects turning of the cutting cyl-indersat the rate of 21/4 revolutions per minute.

Thus, as distinguished fromv the popular electrioally driven waste disposal unit operating at high speeds, the present unit operates at slow speed but with a vastly more powerfulv crushing action. By actual test, the refuse left by a family of'l average size is disposed of in a mattea.` of minutes. and the operation of the device is substantially noiseless. Since the motor unit is; operated by water at city pressure, which is also. used as a flushing medium in electrically powered units, the operation of the present unit is, more economical than that of the prior units since; the exhaust from the motor is employed as the power as well as the fiushing medium. 'Moreover, the difficult maintenance problems of the prior garbage disposal units have been reduced to a minimum in the instant. unit and, `being hydraulically driven, there is no danger of a user of the present unit receiving electrical shocks when touching the sink or unit with wet hands.

The present application is a continuation-in.- part of my earlier application Serial No. 73,1473', led January 31, 1949, now abandoned.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In waste disposal apparatus, waste reduc,- ingV means comprising a pair of rotary intermeshing cutting cylinders arranged with their axes parallel, each including a plurality of cutter bars extending lengthwise of the cylinder and `bei-rig circumferentially spaced about the periphery thereof an amount corresponding substantially to the overall cutter-bar width whereby the cutting bars of the cylinders may intermesh, said cutter bars comprising a body portion and a. tooth portion protruding radially outwardly therefrom,

said tooth portion being offset rearwardly from the front face of the body portion and being forwardiy inclined and terminating in a cutting edge.

2. In waste disposal apparatus, Waste reducing means comprising a pair of rotary intermeshing cutting cylinders arranged with their axes par'- allel, each including a plurality of cutter bars extending lengthwise of the cylinder and being-circumferentially spaced about the periphery thereof an amount corresponding substantially to the overall cutter-bar width whereby the cutting bars of the cylinders may intermesh, said cutter bars comprising a body portion and a tooth portion protruding radially outwardly therefrom, said tooth portion being defined by front and rear faces which converge to a cutting edge, the front face of the tooth portion being rearwardly oiiset from the front face of the body portion and being sloped in forward direction.

3. In waste disposal apparatus, waste reducing means comprising a pair of rotary intermeshing cutting cylinders arranged with their axes parallel, each including a plurality of cutter bars extending lengthwise of the cylinder and being circumferentially spaced about the periphery thereof an amount corresponding substantially to the overall cutter-bar width whereby the cutting bars of the cylinders may intermesh, said cutter bars comprising a body portion and a tooth portion protruding radially outwardly therefrom, said tooth portion being deined by front and rea-r faces which converge on one. another and merge into a small-width i'lat surface connecting said faces, the line of intersection of said front face and said fiat surface defining a cutting edge adapted to Wipe across the rear face of the body portion of the next lower intermeshing cutter bar of the other cutting cylinder, said rear face merging into a small-width fiat surface connecting said face with the rear face of the body portion,

said flat surfaces providing for turning clearance of 1ntermeshing cutter bars as they move in descending arcs toward and away from one another.

4. Waste reducing. means for waste disposal apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the tooth portion of each cutter bar is offset rearwardly from the front face of the body portion thereof and is inclined in forward direction.

'5. In waste disposal apparatus, waste reducing means comprising a pair of rotary intermeshing cutting cylinders arranged with their axes parallel and their peripheries in substantial contact, each including a plurality of cutter bars extending from end to end of the cylinder and being circumferentially spaced about the periphery thereof an amount corresponding to the overall width of said bars and each said cutter bar including a tooth portion extending radially outwardly from the cylinder periphery for movement into the space between the cutter bars of the other cylinder, said cylinders each also including a plurality of cutter-bar supporting rings spaced axially from one another along the length of the cylinder, the outer circular edges of the rings of one cylinder cooperating with the tooth portions of the cutter bars of the other cylinder to cut waste material being acted upon by the intermeshing cutter bars into short lengths.

6. Waste reducing means for waste disposal apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the supporting rings of one cutting cylinder are staggered axially with reference to the supporting rings of the cylinder.

7. In waste disposal apparatus, waste reducing means comprising a pair of rotary interrneshing cutting cylinders arranged with their axes parallel and their peripheries in substantial contact, each including a plurality of cutter bars extending from end to end of the cylinder and being circumferentially spaced about the periphery thereof an amount corresponding to the overall width of said bars and each said cutter bar including a tooth portion extending radially outwardly from the cylinder periphery for movement into the space between the cutter bars of the other cylinder, said cylinders each also including a plurality of cutter-bar supporting rings spaced axially from one another along the length of the cylinder, the outer edges of the rings of one cylinder lying on circles which intersect the arcuate path of movement of the tooth portions of the cutter bars of the other cylinder and said tooth portions being notched to receive said edges thereby to permit turning movement of the cylinders without interference and to effect cutting of the material being acted upon by the intermeshing cutter bars into short lengths.

CARL D. RUSSELL.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 35,510 Keeler Jan. 27, 1863 532,277 Johnson Jan. 8, 1895 1,174,656 Beckwith Mar. 7, 1916 2,508,583 Smith May 23, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 137,184 Austria Apr. 10, 1934 545,497 Great Britain May 29, 1942 

